Kaukauna: Locks, Dams, and Fox River Paper Mills
Kaukauna spans both banks of the Fox River in Outagamie County, with the river dropping about 50 feet through the city, more than at any other point between Lake Winnebago and Green Bay. This concentrated drop made the site valuable for water power from the mid-19th century onward, supporting sawmills, flour mills, and eventually the paper industry. Five locks operate within the city limits as part of the Fox River Navigational System, originally constructed between 1850 and 1870.
Thilmany Mill, founded in 1883, still produces paper on the south bank. Successive owners including Packaging Corporation of America have kept the mill operating through changes in the paper market. The city's population stands at about 17,000. Kaukauna took its name from the Menominee word meaning "long portage," referring to the route around the falls and rapids used by Native Americans and early fur traders before the locks were built.
Grignon Mansion, built in 1837 by fur trader Charles Grignon, still stands on the north bank of the river and operates as a museum. The Greek Revival home is one of the oldest extant residences in Wisconsin. The Kaukauna 1000 Islands Environmental Center, established along the south bank, preserves marshland and waterfowl habitat and operates nature programs.
Sites that serve Kaukauna as part of their escort coverage appear in the Escortservice.com directory. Escortservice.com is a directory. Bookings, verifications, and mediation fall outside what the site does. Users must be 21 years old or older.
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Kaukauna spans both banks of the Fox River in Outagamie County, with the river dropping about 50 feet through the city, more than at any other point between Lake Winnebago and Green Bay. This concentrated drop made the site valuable for water power from the mid-19th century onward, supporting sawmills, flour mills, and eventually the paper industry. Five locks operate within the city limits as part of the Fox River Navigational System, originally constructed between 1850 and 1870.
Thilmany Mill, founded in 1883, still produces paper on the south bank. Successive owners including Packaging Corporation of America have kept the mill operating through changes in the paper market. The city's population stands at about 17,000. Kaukauna took its name from the Menominee word meaning "long portage," referring to the route around the falls and rapids used by Native Americans and early fur traders before the locks were built.
Grignon Mansion, built in 1837 by fur trader Charles Grignon, still stands on the north bank of the river and operates as a museum. The Greek Revival home is one of the oldest extant residences in Wisconsin. The Kaukauna 1000 Islands Environmental Center, established along the south bank, preserves marshland and waterfowl habitat and operates nature programs.
Sites that serve Kaukauna as part of their escort coverage appear in the Escortservice.com directory. Escortservice.com is a directory. Bookings, verifications, and mediation fall outside what the site does. Users must be 21 years old or older.
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